Williamnagar
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Williamnagar
Meghalaya • India |
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| District(s) | East Garo Hills |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Population | 18,251 (2001) |
Williamnagar is the headquarters of East Garo Hills district in the state of Meghalaya in India.
[edit] History
Williamnagar, the headquarter-complex of the East Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, one of the states of North-Eastern India was christened after Captain Williamson A. Sangma, the founding Chief Minister of the State of Meghalaya. The township was planned around the erstwhile village of Simsanggre, on the vast plainlands along the bank of the River Simsang, in 1976 after the Garo Hills district of yesteryear was re-organised to carve out a new district called East Garo Hills District.
The place where Williamnagar is situated has historical importance as it was here that the Garos made their last major resistance to the British intrusion into Garo Hills during the year 1837. The legendary Garo leader Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma was felled by the British, in skirmish, at Chisobibra, on the outskirts of Williamnagar, on 12th December 1837.
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India censusGRIndia, Williamnagar had a population of 18,251. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Williamnagar has an average literacy rate of 67%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 71%, and female literacy is 64%. In Williamnagar, 18% of the population is under 6 years of age.
